California Cig Tax Hike May Fail

In what is a surprising turn of events, especially given the large number of tax hikes that have occurred all over the country over the past several years, smokers in California may be able to breathe a little easier. Despite Californians being especially vocal about their desires for good health, a measure to raise cigarette taxes may be blocked.

The fact is, while many do not like smoking, a lot of Californians are showing that they dislike tax increases even more, even for a product they do not actually use. This could very well set a precedent for the rest of the country, as California is known to do from time to time, that perhaps the rising taxes are not as concrete as many had once believed.

Rising taxes have given way to people doing whatever they can to get their nicotine. Some have started using alternative methods, such as e cigarettes. Altria went as far as to develop a nicotine lozenge. And others have decided to simply resort to petty theft. Regardless of the method, there are still smokers who will stick by their cigarettes. Whatever happens, the fact that at least one state isn’t entirely for the tax increase is something to be optimistic about.